Canterbury City established a five-point lead at the top of Vandanel Kent County League Division 1 East by beating AFC Sheppey 6-1 at Bridge on Saturday.

Scott Lawford led the way with a hat-trick although the visitors played for 76 minutes with only 10 men after having a man sent off for dissent.

Lawford opened the scoring from Dave Read’s penetrating long pass and although Sheppey pulled level through Lenny Whiting, Lawford quickly made it 2-1 from Harry Gower's low cross.

A thundering free-kick from Sam Baker extended the lead and on the hour Gower cleverly beat the ‘keeper with his shot to make it 4-1.

Wayne Fittall marked his return by cutting in from the right side and sending in a low cross that Lawford clipped in for his third before Royston Gough added the sixth by chasing down a pass from Lawford, sprinting in from the right, drawing out the ‘keeper and finishing decisively.

City are away to Oakwood on Saturday.